Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-19
THE POCASSET TRAGEDY RE.
CALLED.
Charles z. Freeman. who Sacrificed
His Little Girl, Released from the
Asylum.

BOSTON. March 16.-The governor and council
to-day ordered the release OF Charles F. Freeman,
the religious fanatic OF Pocasset, who in May,
1879, slew his little daughter as an Offering to the
Almighty. Freeman was the leader Of a small
company calling themselves second Adventists In
the little Cape Cod village. A supreme egotist and
fanatic, he grew to imagine that he was called OF
God to lead a new religious movement. He
preached the idea to his followers, and Just be-
fore the tragedy he had decided start out on his
mission. He called final meeting OF the faithful
TO assemble at his house on May1.
During the preceding few days he became i'm
pressed with the idea that God demanded OF him
great sacrifice as a test OF his faith He talked
over the matter with his wife, and they both be-
came convinced that the Almighty wished the
yielding up OF their little daughter Edith. They
prayed over il long and earnestly until near day.
break on May they felt that the time had come.
Kissing from their knees, having spent the night
In prayer they went TO the bedroom OF their two
daughters The mother held the lamp while the
father barred the breast OF little Edith, their best
beloved, and plunged a knife into it. Then he took
tne child In his arms. The little one looked up at
him, twined her arms about his neck, murmured
simply, 'Oh, papa!" and died.
rev hours later the neighbOrS gathered purSu-
ant TO invitation. Freeman and his wife seemed
not sad, but Subdued. A religious service TOOK
place. Freeman read the Scriptures and offered
prayer. Then he explained the great sacrifice ne
had been called upon to make, described his first
resistance to the call OF God, his final yielding,
and the blessed promise that had come TO him
that the child would be raised again on the third
day. His followers listened SpellbOund, most OF
them believing and accepting all that the fanatic
them the body OF the little child where il lay
waiting for the resurrection.
Later In the day the dreadful secret leaked out
among the sane people Of the community, and the
arrest OF the FreemanS soon followed. The Strang-
est part OF the story Is the blind faith OF their fol-
lowers. An amazing scene and almost lynching
the child was buried. The Adyentists, most OF
them, expected the child to rise from its coffin be-
fore them, and an attempt by one of them TO de-
fend the murderer infuriated the other attendants
at the funeral Mrs. Freeman was released after a
brief imprisonment, and her husband, being found
not guilty by reason of insanity, was committed TO
the State Lunatic hospital for life. He was never
insane on any except religious TOPICS and Tor sew
eral years his mind has been quite sound ON every
thing. Regarding his terrible deed his present
feeling is one OF grief rather than remorse. Upon
the testimony OF several experts that he was sane
and safe TO be at large the governor to-day granted
his release.
The Two Mysteries.
We know not what it is dear, this sleep SO deep and
The folded hands the awful calm, the cheek SO pale
The lids that Will not lift again. though We may call
The strange white solitude of peace that settles over
We know not what it MEANS DEAR this desolate heart
The dread to take daily way and walk in it again
We know not to what sphere the loved who leave US go
Nor why we're left to wonder still, nor why do not
But this know Our loved and lost, if they should
Should come and ask u.s. what is ife!" not OF us
could say.
Life is o my stery. as deep as ever death can be-
Yet OH how sweet it is to usthis lie We i've ana see
blessed Is the thought.
$50 death sweet to beloved! though We may tell
you naught; j..
We may not tell it to the quick, this mystery OF
DEATH
Ye may tell u.s. if We would, the mystery of breath
The child who enters life comes not with knowledge OF
intent
So those who enter death must go little children
sent
Nothing is known. But believe that God is over
head,
And life is to the living. death is to the dead
MARY MAPES DODGE.